Shows
Criterion On The CouchEpisode #27: Wall-EAdam and Jim have finally tunneled out of their respective trash heaps to discuss the 2008 Pixar film Wall-E.
SHOWNOTES
Wall-E - Criterion
Directing
Andrew Stanton, (Writer / Director)
A Bug's Life (1998)
Finding Nemo (2003)
Acting
Ben Burtt - WALL·E / M-O
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
Elissa Knight - EVE (Also Benn Burtt)
Cars (2006)
Up (2009)
Inside Out (2015)
Jeff Garlin - Captain
Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000 - 2021) (Larry David's Agent in the show)
Arrested Development (2005-2013)
Fred Willard - BNL CEO
Best in Show (2000)
Anchorman (2004)
K...
2023-08-3056 minCriterion On The CouchEpisode #26: The Silence of The LambsJoin Adam and Jim as they have an old friend for dinner, and discuss the 1991 crime thriller, The Silence of The Lambs.
SHOWNOTES
The Silence of The Lambs - Criterion
Directing
Jonathan Demme, Ethan Coen (Writer / Director)
Philadelphia (1993)
Something Wild (1986)
The Manchurian Candidate (2004)
Acting
Jodie Foster - Clarice Starling
Anthony Hopkins - Dr. Hannibal Lecter
Scott Glenn - Jack Crawford
Ted Levine - Buffalo Bill
Brooke Smith - Catherine Martin
Anthony Heald - Dr...
2021-04-0848 minCriterion On The CouchEpisode #25: Blood SimpleA seedy Texas bar, a dangerous love affair, and a murder-for-hire gone bad. What’s there not to love? Join Adam and Jim on their examination of Joel and Ethan Coen’s first feature-length movie, Blood Simple.
SHOWNOTES
Blood Simple - Criterion
Directing
Joel Coen, Ethan Coen (Writer / Director)
Miller's Crossing (1990)
The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)
Fargo (1996)
Acting
John Getz - Ray
Frances McDormand - Abby
Dan Hedaya - Julian Marty
M. Emmet Walsh - Loren Visser
Samm-Art...
2020-08-1539 minCriterion On The CouchEpisode #24: Bull DurhamLonging to get outdoors? Looking for an escape from your home office? Then head on out to the ballgame with Adam and Jim. This time they’re heading out to see the Durham Bulls in Ron Shelton’s 1988 iconic sports dramedy, Bull Durham.
SHOWNOTES
Pocket Casts - Addressing Racism
Bull Durham - Criterion
Directing
Ron Shelton (Writer / Director)
White Men Can’t Jump (1992)
Blue Chips (Writer) (1994)
Tin Cup (1996)
Acting
Crash Davis - Kevin Costner
The Big Chill (1983)
Criterion On...
2020-06-112h 09Criterion On The CouchEPISODE #23: MLock your doors, hide your kids, and stay inside. There’s a murderer on the loose! Join Adam and Jim as they hunt the elusive killer that has all of Berlin in a panic. In episode 23 we’re discussing the 1931 “talkie” classic from director Fritz Lang: M.
SHOWNOTES
Criterion on The Couch - Episode #023: M
M - Criterion
Directing
Director: Fritz Lang
Metropolis (1927)
Acting
Peter Lorre (Hans Beckert)
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)
Criterion On The Couch episode #005
Casablanca (1942)
Ellen W...
2020-03-3146 minCriterion On The CouchEpisode #22: The RockJoin Adam, and Jim as they delve down the incinerator chute, on the mine car, through the tunnels to the power plant, under the steam engine and into the cistern through the intake pipe. That’s right, in episode 22 it’s time to retake The Rock along with special guest: former U.S. Navy Seal - Joe.
SHOWNOTES
Criterion On The Couch - Episode #22 - The Rock
The Rock - Criterion
Directing
Director: Michael Bay
Armageddon (1998)
Criterion On The Couch episode #019
Acting
John Patrick Mason - Sea...
2020-02-071h 10Criterion On The CouchEPISODE #21: THIEFGet out your vision boards and lock up your jewelry! In episode #21 Adam and Jim are discussing the 1981 classic heist movie, Thief. (starring James Caan and directed by Michael Mann)
SHOWNOTES
Thief - Criterion
Directing
Director: Michael Mann
Miami Vice (2006)
Manhunter (1986)
Heat (1995)
Acting
Frank - James Caan
The Godfather (1972)
Las Vegas (2003-2007)
Elf (2003)
Jessie - Tuesday Weld
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis (1959-1962)
Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
Barry - Jim Belushi
Accord...
2019-11-1651 minCriterion On The CouchEpisode #20: Dazed and ConfusedSchool’s out for summer! Break out the 8-tracks, put on your favorite bell bottoms, and join Adam and Jim as they travel back to May 28, 1976 to get Dazed and Confused.
SHOWNOTES
Dazed and Confused - Criterion
Directing
Director: Richard Linklater
Where’d You Go Bernadette (2019)
BoyHood (2014 - Criterion)
Before Sunrise / Sunset / Midnight (1995, 2004, 2013 - Criterion)
Slacker (1991 - Criterion)
Acting
Randall “Pink” - Jason London
To Wong Foo Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar
Aerosmith videos for Crazy and Amazing
Pickford - Shawn...
2019-08-0829 minCriterion On The CouchEpisode #19: ArmageddonIt’s the end of the world, and you’re all invited! Join Adam and Jim and a group of roughneck oil drillers as they travel to the edge of space (and their sanity) in order to save the Earth from Armageddon.
SHOWNOTES
Armageddon - Criterion
Director: Michael Bay
Bad Boys
The Rock
Acting:
Harry Stamper: Bruce Willis
Grace Stamper: Liv Tyler
The Leftovers
A.J. Frost: Ben Affleck
Dan Truman: Billy Bob Thornton
Chick: Will Patton
Rockhound: Steve Buscemi
2019-05-2939 minCriterion On The CouchEpisode #18: The Princess BrideAdam and Jim are discussing The Princess Bride? Inconceivable! Join us in episode #18 as we travel with Westley, Fezzik and Inigo Montoya across the countryside of Florin, past the Cliffs of Insanity, to rescue Princess Buttercup from the castle of Prince Humperdinck, all the while avoiding the shrieking eels, flame spurts, lightning sand and Rodents of Unusual Size.
SHOWNOTES
The Princess Bride - Criterion
Director: Rob Reiner
This Is Spinal Tap
A Few Good Men
Sleepless in Seattle
The American President
Writer: William Goldman
But...
2019-01-2037 minCriterion On The CouchEpisode #17: Watership DownHazel, Dandelion, Blackberry and Clover? No, we’re not making a salad, instead we’re discussing the 1978 animated retelling of the Richard Adam’s novel Watership Down. Join us in episode #17 as we heed Fiver’s warnings and search for our new warren.
SHOWNOTES
Watership Down - Criterion
Director - Martin Rosen
The Plague Dogs (1982)
Theme Song - “Time and Tide” by Alan Price (original keyboardist for The Animals)
The House of the Rising Sun
Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood
Hazel - John Hurt (Died Jan 25, 2017) (207 actin...
2018-12-0345 minCriterion On The CouchEpisode #16:The Breakfast ClubA brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, and a criminal walk into school… No this isn’t the beginning of a joke, it’s the opening of John Hughes trend-setting 1985 dramedy, The Breakfast Club. (starring Emilio Estevez, Paul Gleason, Anthony Michael Hall, John Kapelos, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, and Ally Sheedy). Join us in episode #16 for a memorable Saturday detention at Shermer High School.
SHOWNOTES
The Breakfast Club - Criterion
John Hughes - Director
Sixteen Candles (1984)
The Breakfast Club (1985)
Pretty In Pink (1986)
Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1...
2018-09-301h 07Criterion On The CouchEpisode #15: ElectionCorruption? Scandal? A rigged election? In episode #15 we discuss director Alexander Payne's high school political dramedy, Election (starring Matthew Broderick and Reese Witherspoon).
SHOWNOTES
Election - Criterion
Alexander Payne - Director
Citizen Ruth (1996)
Starring Laura Dern
About Schmidt (2002)
Sideways (2004)
Paris, je t’aime (2006)
The Descendants (2011)
Nebraska (2013)
Matthew Broderick (as Jim McAllister)
Also starred in Godzilla (1998) and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
Reese Witherspoon (as Tracy Flick)
Chris Klein (as Paul Metzler)
Jessica Campbell (as Ta...
2018-08-3158 minCriterion On The CouchEpisode #14: The GraduateIn episode #14 we discuss Dustin Hoffman's break out role in The Graduate. Based on the novel by Charles Webb and featuring the music of Simon & Garfunkel, The Graduate tells the tale of one young man's struggle to start the next chapter of his life while also becoming involved in a forbidden affair.
SHOWNOTES
The Graduate - Criterion
Mike Nichols - Director
Charlie Wilson’s War
Wit
Regarding Henry
Working Girl
Closer
Anne Bancroft - Mrs. Robinson
Katharine Ross - Elaine Robinson
Murray Ha...
2018-07-281h 01Criterion On The CouchEpisode #13: RoboCopIn episode #13 we discuss the 1987 science-fiction classic: RoboCop, the original movie that spawned numerous sequels, television series, video games and reboots. Set in a Detroit city plagued by crime, officer Alex J. Murphy is a revenant cop who's been given a second chance to protect and serve.
SHOWNOTES
RoboCop - Criterion
Paul Verhoeven - Director
Starship Troopers
Total Recall
Hollow Man
Peter Weller - RoboCop
Nancy Allen - Officer Lewis
Ronny Cox - Dick Jones
Kurtwood Smith - Clarence J. Boddicker
(wi...
2018-05-2253 minCriterion On The CouchEpisode #12: My Dinner With AndréIn episode #12 we discuss the 1981 cerebral motion-picture, My Dinner With André. Wallace, a struggling actor/playwright from NYC, attends an intimate dinner with his old acquaintance André. As the two catch up on lost time, their conversation shifts into the social, emotional, physical and metaphysical concerns of the modern world. At once both outrageous and grounded, My Dinner With André explores the relationships between people, their environment, and the universe.
SHOWNOTES
My Dinner With Andre - Criterion
Director - Louis Malle
André Gregory as André
Wallace Shawn as Wallace
(widely kno...
2018-03-211h 01Criterion On The CouchEpisode #11: It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad WorldIn episode #11 we discuss one of the most star-studded, high-flying action/comedies of all time: It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. Interrupted from a leisurely drive through the California desert, five men bear witness to the last words of a dying criminal, revealing the location of his hidden loot. What follows is a no-holds-barred-comedic-mad-dash to see who can get to the money first and claim it as their own.
SHOWNOTES
It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World - Criterion
Director - Stanley Kramer
Capt. T. G. Culpepper - Spencer Tracy
J...
2018-02-1147 minCriterion On The CouchEpisode #10: Pan's LabyrinthIn episode #10 we discuss Guillermo del Toro's Oscar-Winning masterpiece: Pan's Labyrinth. Set just after the Spanish Civil War, young Ofelia is thrown into two very different worlds; one of soldiers and violence and one of faeries and magic. Now to protect her own life and that of her mother, she must carefully navigate the border between fantasy and reality.
SHOWNOTES
Pan's Labyrinth - Criterion Collection
Directed by Guillermo Del Toro who also directed and/or wrote:
Cronos (Criterion)
Crimson Peak
Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark
Hellb...
2018-01-0655 minCriterion On The CouchEpisode #9: Easy RiderIn episode #9 we discuss Dennis Hopper's directorial debut: Easy Rider. Wyatt and Billy are two bikers with an anti-establishment lifestyle. After netting a big score in a drug deal, the two friends set off on a cross-country journey where they'll experience the best and worst that society has to offer.
SHOWNOTES
Easy Rider - Criterion Collection
Directed by Dennis Hopper
Written by Dennis Hopper, Peter Fonda and Terry Southern
Notable Cast:
Dennis Hopper - Billy
Peter Fonda - Wyatt
Jack Nicholson - George (young Jack N...
2017-10-3157 minCriterion On The CouchEpisode #8: Fear and Loathing in Las VegasIn episode #8 we discuss our second Terry Gilliam movie: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Raoul Duke and his Samoan attorney Dr. Gonzo embark on a drug-filled trip through Las Vegas. Based on the story by Hunter S. Thompson, starring Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro.
SHOWNOTES
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - Criterion Collection
Directed by Terry Gilliam (who also directed Brazil which we discussed in episode #4).
Terry Gilliam also directed the movie Twelve Monkeys
Based on the Novel by Hunter S. Thompson which itself began as a two-part series i...
2017-09-1034 minCriterion On The CouchEpisode #7: BadlandsIn episode #7 we discuss Terrence Malick's first full-length film: Badlands. Kit, a captivating loner from "the wrong side of town" falls in love with Holly before beginning a murderous crime wave. Based on the real life story of Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate. Starring Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek.
SHOWNOTES
Badlands - Criterion Collection
Directed by Terrence Malick who has several other films in the Criterion Collection including
Days of Heaven (1978)
The Thin Red Line (1998)
The New World (2005)
Malick’s The Tree of Life starring Jessica Chastain and...
2017-08-2755 minCriterion On The CouchEpisode #6: The Royal TenenbaumsIn episode #6 we discuss Wes Anderson's comedic drama The Royal Tenenbaums. With a star studded cast, this detailed world delves in the dysfunctional lives of the Tenenbaum family. Starring Gene Hackman, Anjelica Huston, Ben Stiller, Gwyneth Paltrow, Luke Wilson, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson and Danny Glover.
SHOWNOTES
The Royal Tenenbaums - Criterion Collection
The Apple Cube
Wes Anderson movies:
Bottle Rocket
Rushmore
The Royal Tenenbaums
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
The Darjeeling Limited
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Moo...
2017-08-061h 17Criterion On The CouchEpisode #5: The Man Who Knew Too MuchIn episode #5 we discuss one of Alfred Hitchcock's first major films: The Man Who Knew Too Much. On vacation in Switzerland, Bob and Jill Lawrence get caught up in a secretive world of spies and assassins. With time running out, they must follow a cold trail to save their daughter and prevent a world war. Starring Leslie Banks, Edna Best and Peter Lorre.
SHOWNOTES
The Man Who Knew Too Much - Criterion Collection
Alfred Hitchcock
Gaumont-British Picture Corporation
The 39 Steps
The Lady Vanishes
The character’s na...
2017-07-2351 minCriterion On The CouchEpisode #4: BrazilIn episode #4 we discuss the comedic dystopia "Brazil" from director Terry Gilliam. Sam Lowry, an average employee at the Ministry of Information, gets caught up in a quest to solve a bureaucratic mistake while simultaneously searching for the literal woman of his dreams. Starring Jonathan Pryce, Robert De Niro and Kim Greist.
SHOWNOTES
Brazil - Criterion Collection
Terry Gilliam directed Brazil (as well as Twelve Monkeys starring Bruce Willis)
Back to The Future Part I (directed by Robert Zemeckis) did not show a dystopian future
Back to The Future Part II ...
2017-07-0945 minCriterion On The CouchEpisode #3: Harold and MaudeIn episode #3 we discuss the romantic dark comedy drama "Harold and Maude." A young man, fascinated with death, meets a venerable woman who teaches him what life is really about. Starring Ruth Gordon and Bud Cort.
SHOWNOTES
While this movie (and episode) deals with the topic of suicide in a humorous manner, if you or someone you know is struggling with suicide please visit the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or call 1-800-273-8255
Harold and Maude - Criterion Collection
Not to be confused with Maude starring Bea Arthur
Cat Stevens composed and performed the soundtrack i...
2017-06-1946 minCriterion On The CouchEpisode #2: The Big ChillIn episode #2 we discuss Lawrence Kasdan's classic "The Big Chill." The death of one of their own reunites seven former college friends for a weekend of memories, music, sorrow and love. Starring Tom Berenger, Glenn Close, Jeff Goldblum, William Hurt and Kevin Kline.
SHOWNOTES
The Big Chill - Criterion Collection
The Big Chill - Soundtrack on vinyl
More Songs from The Big Chill on vinyl
Joy to The World by Three Dog Night
Bookends by Simon & Garfunkel
America by Simon & Garfunkel
Saginaw, Michigan (N...
2017-06-021h 01Criterion On The CouchEpisode #1: 12 Angry MenIn our inaugural episode we discuss Sidney Lumet's classic drama 12 Angry Men where high stakes lead to high tensions and a sole dissenter fights to save an accused man.
SHOWNOTES
12 Angry Men - The Criterion Collection
12 Angry Men - 1997 Remake starring Jack Lemmon.
Juror 8 - Henry Fonda
Juror 5 - Jack Klugman starred in both The Odd Couple and Quincy, M.E.
Juror 7 - Jack Warden starred in The Replacements
12 Angry Men was originally broadcast as a Teleplay in 1954
Nine ways to get out o...
2017-04-051h 03